Harvest Kale Quinoa Bowl (Print View)

A hearty autumn bowl with roasted sweet potato, quinoa, kale, pecans, cranberries, and blue cheese in lemon tahini.

# Components:

→ Vegetables & Grains

01 - 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
02 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
03 - 4 cups kale, stems removed, chopped

→ Nuts & Fruit

04 - 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
05 - 1/3 cup dried cranberries

→ Cheese

06 - 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

→ Lemon Tahini Dressing

07 - 1/4 cup tahini
08 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
11 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water
13 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Pantry

14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil for roasting
15 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss diced sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on prepared baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and tender.
03 - In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
04 - Place chopped kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt. Massage gently for 1 to 2 minutes until leaves are soft and darkened.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, minced garlic, and 2 tablespoons water. Add more water as needed for a pourable consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
06 - Divide cooked quinoa among 4 bowls. Top each with massaged kale, roasted sweet potatoes, pecans, cranberries, and blue cheese. Drizzle generously with lemon tahini dressing.
07 - Serve immediately, or refrigerate components separately and assemble just before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels like a restaurant bowl but comes together in under an hour with simple pantry staples.
  • Every bite has a different texture, so you never get bored halfway through.
  • The dressing is tangy and creamy enough to make even the kale skeptics come back for seconds.
02 -
  • Rinsing the quinoa is not optional, I skipped it once and the bitterness ruined the whole bowl.
  • Massaging the kale really does transform it from tough and chewy to soft and sweet, don't skip that step.
  • Thin the tahini dressing more than you think you need to, it thickens as it sits and you want it to drizzle easily.
03 -
  • Toast the pecans in a dry skillet for a few minutes before adding them to the bowl, it deepens their flavor and makes them even crunchier.
  • If your tahini is too thick to whisk, microwave it for 10 seconds to loosen it up before mixing the dressing.
  • Taste the dressing before you pour it, sometimes I add an extra squeeze of lemon or a pinch of salt depending on the tahini brand.
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